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Ms. Annie Sells celebrated her son’s birthday by encouraging him to show respect to his great grandmother, among other activities. She passed from this world as spring was about to sprin, just as it is now.

In her last weeks, my son and I went each Sunday and spent her last days with her and my mother. My son was very close to his great grandmother just as I was to my grandmother. She was human, but she was also a warrior to the very end.

Grandma passed days before her birthday, just as the daffodils were beginning to bloom in her medow, below her home – on the family mountain. The same medow where I married my son’s father and the same medow she toiled in as a child and in again in the final years of her life.

Days before she passed, my son went down and brought back a single bloom. It sat in a glass of water on the bedside table to her death bed. It was the last flower she saw in her life on this earth and was a gift from our Abba and from my son.

So today as we took the scenic route to his birthday party, we stopped at her grave and transplanted blooming daffodils onto her grave. Just he and I in her final resting place. They were the children if daffodils that originally grew on the family mountain.

Life and death are full of trials, sorrows, and pain. But we can find joy and meaning in the little things in life – like a flower that connects four generations.

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Ms. Annie Sells is curious if you have ever seen what 20 pounds of hamber patties looks like in a resturant kitchen.

Just in case you have not, then feast your eyes on this. Instead of enjoying the moon light of a beautiful Sunday night, this is the sight I beheld tonight.

No one ever said that reaching your dreams and goals was easy. No one ever said that embracing your true self and fighting the good fight would be moonlight and fairies.

Be blessed, work your ass off, and if you have to moonlight then do it and be proud of the hard work that you put in. I know I am.

Ms. Annie Sells has worn many hats and among them in 20 years of experience in the restaurant, hospitality, and service induatry. So when I got a call asking if I could fill in a few shifts here and there I thanked my Abba father and said sure.

What are you doing to reach your goals and dreams? Are you going the extra mile to be your true self? Are you putting in the hard work?

Ms. Annie Sells had the honor of meeting a band of guys who seem to remember what their knee are for. Now you know I have a soft spot in my heart for artists, whether they be musicians, painters, quilters, jewelry makers, multi-media nerds, gardeners, or what.

On a normal Friday night, I was sitting at home just relaxing, okay honestly falling asleep in my recliner. Then a girlfriend that I had hardly seen or spoken to in years started blowing up my phone and said we were going to see a band. What? Who? Where? Seriously?

She was serious. She showed up. I quickly got dressed and we headed out. Prior to those moments I had not heard of Derryl Perry& The Lonesome Devils. Now I am embarrassed by that fact, but it is true.

It seems that they tour the United States continuously, frequently in Oklahoma and Texas. Prayin Out Loud is popular in both states, but is only one in a diverse selection – most of which can be found on Derryl Perry’s YouTube channel and include a mixed bag of good ole rock and country classics.

In Prayin Out Loud, Derry Perry sings that he is with a bartender who does not have a collar, but that will have to do. Because he is desperate enough to send one up, or to pray. He does so for a ray of hope, from the end of a bar, and when he is at the end of his rope. I have to hand it to him, this guy is a pretty damn good song writer. His lyrics just role off the tongue.

His band, The Lonesome Devils, are a group of guys with a lot of raw talent. It seems that the majority of them are new to his tour, but you would never guess it by watching them play together. Ms. Annie Sells is curious to learn more about these spirited devils that know what their knees are for and their boss that is praying and singing for us all.

Take a moment and check out this song, because you will want to be able to look back and say I remember when. As always, if you love it, share it!

The NRS Women’s Olympic T-Shirt salutes women warriors on the water. The distinctive interlocking graphic graces the back of a tee cut just the way you like it. A high-quality, 95% cotton, pre-shrunk tagless tee for long-lasting comfort.

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My mother did one hell of a job protecting me from mass media especially via television until I was 18 years old. But we sure learned to appreciated good literature, strategy games, puzzles, and classic movies. Nevermind I read my way through many a library! Many thanks Momma.

Now if television isn’t your thing… if you, like me, long ago gave up on RSS feeds and you hate getting tons of subscription emails in your personal email, then I would like to recommend Flipboard.

Flipboard is a fully customizable app that allows you to keeping your finger on the pulse of things.

Yes, I know the last thing you need is another app. But is it not worth a few minutes to check it out? I dare you. http://flip.it/KbXXi

When I am no totally swamped, I try to log in a few times a week, before bed. The key to Flipboard’ s usefulness is keywords and searching by topic.

I have been using Flipboard since October 2012 and pulled together a “board” as a snapshot of some of my interests during that time, for you.

(Hint: It is great for pulling together online resources in one place — students, educators, and business and industry friends.)

Try it out. Create a few of your own and come back and tell us about it.

Arkansas’ Director of Higher Education and President Bill Clinton addressed the 700+ attendees of the last day of the 25th Annual AATYC Conference.

They spoke of the boot-strap mentality of our past Executive Director and our new Executive Director.

They spoke of the work of us all to meet the needs of the students, citizens, and business and industry of Arkansas.

They spoke of making a difference and overcoming trials and tribulations.

They spoke of personal and collective sacrifice.

They also spoke of the growth and expansion in student enrollment to serve almost 90,000 students, at two-year colleges, annually.

It all comes down to doing whatever it takes: politics, policy, service, and education.

Sometimes things get tough. However, just when we are ready to give it up, “that one thing goes right and it keeps you going! We have a lot of work to do, but we can do it if we continue to work together” according to the Honorable Shen Broadway.

It was yet another great conference due to the hard work and dedication of the many servant leaders in Arkansas’ Higher Education.

Many thanks to everyone that made the conference a success! Dr. Ed Franklin, you will be missed, but never forgotten.

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Higher Ed – the challenge. We are looking to improve completion rates by 50% by 2020; to increase college readiness; double the number of students who complete developmental ed; closing the skills gap by focusing on career and technical ed; refocusing our mission; embracing entrepreneurial mindset; and to target private and public investments strategically.

Much work to do, but very happy to be at the 25th Annual AATYC Conference.